Sidiki Bakaba

Sidiki Bakaba (born in Abengourou, 1949) is an actor, scenario writer and director from Côte d'Ivoire. He lives and works in Abidjan. After studying at the National School of Drama of Abidjan, he conducted training at the Living Theatre and with Grotowski. In 2000, he became the director of the Palace of Culture of Abidjan (Palais de la Culture d'Abidjan) located at Treichville. He also founded the Actor's Studio (an actor training school in the Palace of Culture) Along with a significant acting career, he produced fiction films, documentaries such as Les Guérisseurs (1988) which won the award for best music at the Francophone Film Festival, as well as the Voice of Hope at FESPACO Ouagadougou in 1989. He directed short films such as Le Nord est tombé sur la tête (1985–1998) for TV5, Le Parole (1992), L'Anniversaire de Daymios (November 1992) and documentaries such as Cinq siècles de solitude and La victoire aux mains nues in 2002. A close supporter of ex-president Laurent Gbagbo, Bakaba April 2011 he was in Gbagbo's residence in Abidjan during the siege which resulted in Gbagbo's capture and is reported to have been wounded during it.